How to Unclog a Shower Drain?

A clogged shower drain can cause endless issues as a homeowner, but the good news is there are many different techniques you can try to resolve the issue. Shower clogs are a natural part of life for anyone, but they can cause endless issues for your plumbing and overall health and hygiene. Today we’re going to discover some of the top ways to unclog a shower drain, all of which you can try out the next time you are facing this issue.

How to Check if Your Shower Drain is Clogged

The first thing you need to do when you think your shower drain is clogged is to double-check the drain for any visible obstructions. In a lot of situations, it’s a clump of hair blocking the drain, but you may need to lift up the drain cap to look inside it. A flashlight might come in use at this time, and if you see anything that’s blocking the drain, make sure you pull it out. From there, verify that your drain is open, so that water can freely drain when you use your shower. If you follow these steps and you are still struggling to unclog your drain, it’s time to try one of the other solutions we’ll share below. You may also need to think about calling a plumber if you think there’s something more seriously wrong, as they will be the best option for diagnosing this type of issue.

Use Boiling Water

For one of the easiest ways to unclog a shower drain, we recommend using boiling water. You’ll need to start by filling a kettle or saucepan with water, which you’ll then bring to a boil. Take the kettle and slowly pour the water down your drain a little bit at a time. Make sure you don’t pour it all at once, as the hot liquid needs to have a chance to slowly unclog the drain. The reason that this is such an effective way to unclog a shower drain is that the high temperature helps to break up any gunk or dirt that’s blocking the drain. However, you should only use this technique if you have metal pipes. If you are using this technique on PVC pipes, make sure you pour the water little by little to avoid loosening up the joints and causing more permanent damage.

Try a Mixture of Baking Soda and Vinegar

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is another simple solution that you can use to unclog a shower drain without requiring professional assistance. You’ll mix 1/3 cup of baking soda with 1/3 cup of vinegar, which is best mixed in a heat-resistant cup. The mixture will start to fizz straight away, so you need to pour it down the shower drain immediately. Once you’ve poured the mixture down the drain, leave it for about an hour for the best results. Then turn on your bathtub faucet and run hot water to properly flush the mixture away through the pipes. The chemical reaction that takes place helps to break up any hair and grime that’s caused the pipes to block up. You should then be able to freely use your shower drain with no issues, thanks to how powerful the mixture is.

Use a Wire Coat Hanger

While the options we shared above are great for breaking up dirt and grime, if you have a larger clog, you may need to try and attack it with a wire coat hanger. Follow these simple steps to use a coat hanger to unblock your drain:

• Unwind the hanger but keep a tiny hook on the end, ready to pull out anything that’s clogging your shower drain.
• Feed that wire through the drain to pull out any hair or soap that’s blocking your drain.
• From there, follow the solution we shared above requiring boiling water, which you can pour down the drain to free up any remaining blockages. Replace the drain cover, and your shower should be good to use again.

Pull Out Any Blockages with a Drain Snake

A drain snake is a tool that you can use to pull out any blockages. It’s a retractable drilling tool that is readily available at any hardware store. You’ll simply use the hand crank on the device to push the metal wire down the drain, and it then works by breaking up anything that’s clogging it. There are also cheaper, disposable plastic drain snakes on offer, which don’t require you to crank it at all. If you do have a drain snake that can be reused, make sure you clean it after each use to avoid adding more dirt and grime to your shower. This is a great tool to invest in if you are often experiencing shower clogs, and it will soon become one of the most useful purchases you’ve made.

Call a Plumber

While we hope that at least one of the solutions we’ve shared above will help to unclog your shower drain, if you don’t have any success, then it’s time to call a plumber. A plumber will have more advanced tools to try and unclog even the most vicious of shower drains. They’ll be able to diagnose the issue and then suggest the best course of action to avoid it from happening again in the future. In some situations, you may find that the issue with your shower is something much more serious to do with the plumbing. A plumber will be able to let you know if there’s a bigger problem than just something getting in the way, and they’ll recommend if any parts of your shower need replacing to avoid major issues in the future.

By following the ideas we’ve shared above, you can work to unclog your shower drain in no time at all. While a clogged shower drain is something that no one wants to experience, it does happen to most homeowners from time to time. By equipping yourself with the natural solutions we shared above, you’ll always be ready to tackle any type of blockage you have in the future.